Headfile

The Sennheiser HD457 is somewhat an upgraded version of the subject of my last review—the HD 202. The headband is exactly the same, nay the color, and the earcups look like they were conceived from the same mold, except for some grooves on the outside part of the HD457. The foam on the headband and the earcups are different as well; on the HD457, they are somewhat “clothlike,” on the 202s, “leatherlike.”

Note: The 457s are open headphones, the 202s closed.

There is not a big difference in price either; $49.95 versus $39.95, which in reality, translates to just under $5 on dealer prices.

As expected, the HD457 came with a cable organizer thingy like that of the 202. It came in the same packaging—the tough clear plastic type which is a pain to slice, and also came with a stereo jack adapter. Like the 202, it has a low enough resistance of 32 ohms, which makes it perfect for the most feeble mp3 players.

Sound

Being as these cans are open, if listened to in a very hush environment, one might be overwhelmed with the bass. I had imagined pairing it with an mp3 player out in the open (noisier) environment would drown out some of the bass, leaving a sort of “just right” neutral sounding but impressive sound signature.

The upper range is nice—quite neutral yet still soft, still carrying some of Sennheiser’s infamous “veiled” sound. To others—detail freaks, Grado users, it might only mean “lacking in detail,” but I’d like to look at it as “the detail is still there, only not that articulated.”

I would imagine the 497 would appeal to the younger mp3 player-using generation and not the seasoned audiophile. For something priced as such, the sound should not be critically analyzed, as long as it falls under the really decent category.

Build

These cans are really light which make them perfect for hauling around, but, considering the beating that it might go through, I wish Sennheiser would have made the wires more bullet proof. I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if the wires are the first to go from these units. They are adequate enough for home use and for its price, but I would’ve preferred something stronger (or even “stronger looking”) to make it the ultimate anywhere-you-go headphones.

Oh, remember how I complained about the 202′s clasp? Well, being as these cans are made from the same plastic, well it is still an issue (harder and more fatiguing than normal).

I once owned a pair of Sennheiser HD 202s. The year was 2006, and I wanted a little extra something for my 24th birthday. I knew I wanted headphones, because at that time my work was already computer-based, and I have already ditched the desktop with a laptop—which meant I had already dropped the idea of having an “office,” and was moving quite frequently (while working), even if it meant just at different rooms within the house.

I have heard of Sennheisers and knew it was a respectable brand of headphones. I purchased one (HD 202) at a local record store. Why I picked it, I don’t really remember, all I know is that the store only had a number of models left to choose from. Ah, the thing was made of plastic, literally. Anything visible was made of plastic (obviously except for the pads and the wire). It was not bad though, because I know that it was the tough kind. That also meant it was very light.

It was not as comfortable as I remember (having had a number of headphones after). The cups did not cover my ear entirely and the clasp was stronger than usual. In fact I remember tiring easily and having to rest my ears for long work sessions. I was not the worst in terms of comfort as I’ve had worse, but they were not tolerable as well. I remember trying on a pair of HD 201s at that same store and thought “Damn, these are comfortable as hell.”

The sound was respectable. It was not great, but it was of good quality and was really a step-up to what I was used to at that time. Noise isolation was decent, it was my first experience with closed headphones and I enjoyed it very much especially when I was movies and other videos on my laptop.

What else? Well, it had this wire organizer thingy but I not able to use it not once—because if you’re lazy like me, you wouldn’t see the point either. I know I have not commented on the sound characteristics much but for what I remember, they were a bit colored in the mids and but had a strong bass response. Of course, I’m judging this now that I’ve heard and owned a bunch of high-end cans. For $30, you should not even dare complain about the sound it produces. Oh well, except for the comfort maybe, because I know of cheaper cans that are more comfortable.

By the way, the headphones did not last long enough with me (it was confiscated, long story) to tell if the pads deteriorated in time as with other headphones using the same material (pleather? that glossy thin semi-leatherlike material on top of the foam).

The foldable AKG K 450 was made for use with virtually any portable music player, your mobile phone or your PC by means of optional adapters and a headset. Enjoy your favorite music as you may never have heard it before, as well as make and receive hands-free calls or calls via Skype (with optional communication kit), all through the same system. Two lengths of the single sided cable are included plus an impressive carrying case. See below for complete specifications.

Specifications

• Closed-Back Design
• New unique 3D-Axis² folding mechanism for even easier transport
• iPhone® compatible
• Single sided detachable cable; Two cable lengths included
• New Supersoft™ ear pads for comfortable fit
• 2.5mm/6.3mm jack adapter
• Premium carrying case included

Reviews (compiled from various sources)

“The sound is quite correct, the bass is jaw dropping because of the new cushions. The midrange is quite good, and the treble is just amazing (with) loads of details, nearly beating my XTZ 99 2.2 v2006 speakers with the Doxa 70 amplifier.”

Viktor Basso (www.viktorbassor.com)

“These headphones are very comfortable. They come with a great carrying case with an insert designed for the headphones. I actually thought they’d serve as an upgrade to my Koss Porta-Pro’s based on cost. What a mistake. I have to say I’m a bit disappointed in the sound quality as the highs sound muffled and too low, mids seem a bit low but a tad bit higher than the highs, and bass is just plain overwhelming. These phones lack tonal balance to the extreme. Overall they’re very loud and may sound great to the general ear or if you love bass heavy tracks. However, I’m a bit picky when it comes to sonic accuracy, clarity, and balance. I’m what I like to call a low budget audiophile. I also own a pair of Grado SR60i’s, and Sennheiser HD555′s for full size headphones. These would be quite hard for anything to match under $200.00 in that category. I have the Shure SE110, UE Super-fi 3 studio’s, and the Bose Tri-port hybrid ear-buds as well. The reason I bring all those up is so you can see that I have quite a bit to compare the AKG 450′s to.”

Kool Aid from Mannheim, Germany (via Amazon.com)

“The sound that is there is high quality. Bass and Mids are clean and clear. Bass may be a little heavy, but then again if there was more treble, the sound would be more balanced. The appearance is good. Comfort is excellent. Not too much pressure on the ears, ear cushions are soft and supple. Noise isolation is good for this type of headphone. Portability is excellent. Detachable cord from the headphones allows you to change the length or replace the cord should it become damaged. Included accessories are nice, 1/4″ and cell phone adapters are included as well as two cord lengths.”

Jason T. Wright from Detroit, Michigan, USA (via Amazon.com)

Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen in Germany has awarded AKG Acoustics the Red Dot Design Award 2009 for the design of two mini-headphones. The prize, which has been awarded since 1988, is regarded in the industry as an indicator of excellent design and high product quality. An impartial, autonomous jury of well-known design experts from around the world chose from the over 11,000 products submitted according to various criteria such as innovation, functionality or ergonomic efficiency. The jurors were in no doubt that the AKG K 420 and K 450 deserved the prize in the “Product Design” category. The prize will be officially awarded at the Essen Opera House on 29 June 2009.

The AKG K 420 and K 450 feature the unique patented 3D Axis2 folding mechanism. When folded up, the two mini-headphones are a miracle of compact design and can be stowed away easily for convenient transport. However, when worn, they produce the typical AKG sound with a wide and distortion-free spectrum, so that they can compete with the larger models in terms of acoustics. Because of the half-open design and the padded headband, they give the impression of lightness and maximum freedom of movement.

AKG.com

“Every year, thousands of businesses worldwide compete with their products for the Red Dot Design Award, so it is a really great honor for our work to be recognized with this much-sought-after award,” said Alfrecht Reinprecht, Vice President of Marketing at AKG. “As well as sound quality, we place a lot of emphasis on a modern, classic look for our headphones.” “The latest technology is by no means the only thing that the customer is looking for. That’s why we will continue to promote attractive design in the future, in an effort to stand out from the mass of products available.”

A look back at an all-time favorite

The Sennheiser HD595, as old a model as it may be, is still one of our favorites. Why? Because it’s just so easy to listen to that all that’s left for us is to enjoy the music. And that’s what music lovers want, don’t we? Enough of the critical over analysis of frequencies, tonality, staging, what-have-yous, these cans make us enjoy that which matters the most—the material.

So after nearly three years of constant use, what can we add to what has already been said (repeatedly)? Some rants about the build quality for starters. We saw cracks on the (plastic) part that connects the cups to the headband, and the velour pads started to tear off after only about a year of use—from the inside, exposing the foam (it’s still in one piece though).

It still looks nice though, and might still be the most comfortable pair we’ve used (except maybe for the Sennheiser HD555, which is basically built the same). By the way, that (comfort) also adds a lot to the “listening to the music” experience.

The cable and the headband still looks and works the same, even after a couple of unintentional drops. We still use the included headphone rack and we still enjoy it being a “plus” after all these years.

So, to go back a little on why we liked these in the first place, let’s review its sound and value. Back then, in terms of value, one might have questioned the fact that they were not proportionally priced to the lower-classed HD555s (so did we, but we got them anyway). The HD555s were justly priced, and at nearly double its price, the HD595s did not double the overall performance.

And that’s what we thought, except after a couple of marathon listening sessions, we began to understand what more 595s had to offer. We still have very high regard for the HD555 to this point especially when we start looking at its price tag, but the HD595 adds so much more to the listening experience that we’ve justified (and forgiven) its worth.

The Sennheiser HD595 is a well-balanced headphone in our book. It gives an accurate reproduction (fidelity) of the original material which makes your either appreciate or dislike (not hate) a recording. They are not overly critical—as in making bad recordings unbearable to listen to, but you get an appropriate feel of how the record was made. You appreciate good recordings more, but they still give enough slack to bad ones, especially if the song is really good.

Highs are clear, detailed and soft (natural, organic). They provide enough energy to cope with demanding recordings without having to sound harsh. They do not carry the Sennheiser “veiled” sound, but they still sound quite laid back (as opposed to maybe an AKG or a Grado).

The mids are well-balanced and detailed. Ambient sounds are easily distinguished and can be placed. They work wonders on female vocals and acoustic instruments, and we consider this type of music as its forte. They can handle heavier recordings but, to put it lightly, they weren’t made for those. But hey, nothing can suit all types of music, which is why we look for balance.

Bass is tight, clear and ample. They maybe the type which we’d imagine the younger generation to label “weak,” but we feel they reproduce the recorded bass frequencies just the way they were intended to. These are not DJ headphones anyway, but again we go back to that overall balance.

The soundstage is really deep on the HD595. Alright, maybe they’re not that wide but they do sound full. But for a fuller, albeit wider soundstage, we’d already go to a flagship model, and the 595s are not.

So, “balance” just might have been the focus of our review (look back), but that is what we really like about the HD595. If we were to leave only one pair from our collection, I know a couple of our editors would definitely go for these cans. I myself have enjoyed countless of listening sessions with these. And on those times, I did not for once criticize (or maybe even thought of what I was using) the cans for I was so engulfed with the music.

The AKG K 81 DJ was made with semi-professional DJs in mind—same kind of professional sound quality with cheaper but dependable equipment. Their closed-back style provide optimum isolation from ambient noise, and can take heavy usage, with high SPL capabilities to ensure excellent sound quality.

Out of the box, we could not help but marvel at the K 81 DJ’s build quality. For its price, it is definitely built like a tank. The headband is made of solid aluminum wrapped with think durable plastic, which is then wrapped by a sort of thin layer of rubber. The touches of brushed aluminum on the cups make them look sophisticated. The ear pads are pleather which we found ample thick.

The headband adjusts like a typical set of headphones, with that numbered “click” that indicates how far you’ve gone. The earcups rotate ala typical DJ headphones. The earcups cover the average man’s ears easily, and our tester, Rob, who considers his ears as on the big side, did not encounter any discomfort even after an hour of use.

We felt the the cord on the K 81 DJ was quite long for the typical media player user, and we felt that AKG addressed this issue with the club DJ in mind more. No worries, since “DJ” is part of its name to begin with.

The K 81 DJ’s sound signature is one where the uppermost highs remain “rolled-off,” but the lows are quite defined without sounding to “boomy.” The soundstage is quite impressive and wide, which is lacking on most DJ-styled headphones. We felt at times that the AKG needed some “eq-ing” but that was when we were in the audiophile state of mind.

The mids are not as “rolled-off” as the highs, but not as forward as the bass either. So if you would, you could imagine the overall frequency response of the K 81 as an inclined plane towards the lower frequencies. Some might consider the effect of this as “laid-back” especially when one deals with vocals. A little EQ would fix this. However, we could tell that the real true tonality was already there.

Again, the bass response on this thing might be a little to out there especially for those used to really balance, refined sound. We reckon that the bass impresses the younger generation apart from it being a DJ’s headphone, but even so, the bass was quite defined and textured which ears some respect for those very critical with the way frequencies are boosted.

The K 81 DJ does a very good job of blocking ambient noise, in this case, big party PA systems, while easily preventing leakage to the outside—this is especially useful for college dorm-dwelling users. It also has a very efficient impedance which makes it great to pair with iPods and other media players. However, a quality headphone amplifier, no matter what these cans’ impedance were designed for, would make a worthwhile improvement to the overall sound.

We love the K 81 DJ because it is not just “acceptable.” We found that for its price, we considered it “really good,” which meant it more than “delivered” for us.

The Sennheiser HD497, the top model of Sennheiser’s StreeWear range, has a frequency response of 37-21,000Hz, an impedance of 32 ohms, and an SPL rating of 112 dB—all of which makes it a little short of being considered “audiophile material.” However, at  around $76 (list price), a typical media player-carrying commoner can enjoy a far superior sound by shelling out a little more. Find out the strengths of the HD497.

Below are some good reviews of the Sennheiser HD497.

dinosauract from Pennsylvania, USA talks about the mids, lows and highs

“The mid-range is excellent, very smooth and detailed. Vocals sound right on, sibilants being reproduced perfectly, a very difficult thing to achieve in low priced gear, and something that plenty of expensive stuff doesn’t get right. Subtle changes in pitch of vocals, guitars, and piano are reproduced with realism.”

“The top end is very well extended and detailed as well, but it doesn’t throw the sound in your face. Cymbals, shakers, and violins sound like the real thing. Violins can sometimes have a little bite, and this is reproduced very well with the 497′s. They don’t exaggerate the high end, but it definitely is not rolled off. Nearly perfect, at least to my ears.”

“The bass region is good, but is not quite up to the standard of the rest of the frequency range. Extension is excellent, electric bass, string bass, cellos and even synthetic bass are all reproduced with weight and detail. I love cellos, the subtle overlays of texture are an excellent test of the resolving powers of any piece of equipment. The 497′s excel here. The negative aspect of the bass area is that electic bass seems a little pronounced. There seems to be a slight boost in the mid-bass, meaning that certain notes seem to linger a little longer than they shoud. It is not severe, and on certain tracks it provides a nice warm feel, but it is a coloration.”

Arvi Vaz from Shorewood, WI compares it with a Sony MDR-V600

“I bought this product to replace a Sony V600 I have used for several years and now falling apart. The V600 is a big full cup foldable unit with a heavy curled wire coming from one side. I thought it was a pretty good set of cans but always felt that the sound was somehow constrained. In hind sight, maybe it needed amps. Anyway, the Sennheiser is a big revelation. Deep bass, great mids, really clean highs. On the down side, I feel the cymbals tend to sound tinny. The unit is cheap looking. Connectors are not gold-plated. The cable is thin and usually unruly. Obviously, the material aspects of the product is not up to snuff. But the sound it makes is one of the best I’ve heard.”

A. Louie from Fremont, CA talks about comfort

“In terms of ergonomics, these headphones do hurt my ears a bit. Although the padded ears make it semi-comfortable for me, I have large ears and the left phone presses against the cartilage about a half inch above my earlobe. Not a sharp pain, but a dull pain more like a bruise and gets a bit irritating after a about 30-45 minutes of use. I think this may be an issue with me because open headphones irritate the same part of my ear as well. Also, since I use only for portable listening, the 9′ cord is too long for a portable use and needs to be tied up.”

Photo by Tsuki-yomi.

Limited Editions

AKG adds a personal touch to their heralded K 518 DJ and comes up with a limited edition K 518 LE version. The K 518 LE has the same features as the K 518 DJ but is offered in 7 new colors—white, fuchsia, orange, blue, green, red and yellow. You can now match your headhphones with your favorite media player.

The K 518 DJ/LE was designed by AKG with the personal media player user in mind—very easy to operate and power because of its low sensitivity, light weight, 3D-axis folding mechanism for easy storage, and closed-back supraaural design to isolate ambient noise while on the go.

The K 518 LE sells for $140-$150 in most online retailers. Pictured below is the green version.

MINIAMP AMP800; Ultra-Compact 4-Channel Stereo Headphone Amplifier

The 9.5″ silver/gray half-rack plastic casing of the AMP800 looked sleek and classy but it reminded us a little too much of the Samson C-que8. But buying anything Behringer, you need only look at one thing—the price. The AMP800 is listed at $74.99 which means you could buy one of these in most retailers for less than $50.00. Do not expect any Behringer product to compete with any audiophile-grade component because a standing theme for most of their products seems to be “cheap but decent.”

And so is the AMP800. It has a ton of features including 4 independent stereo channels—each of them having their own 6-digit LED output meter, with each channel having dual headphone outputs. So all in all, you can connect 8 headphones at any time. You also have 2 independent balanced stereo inputs, with which you can match any of the 4 output channels one input at a time, at any time.

So from the looks of it, this amplifier is not best suited for personal use, but rather more for studio or live use otherwise it’s just a waste of its channels. The MICROAMP HA400 might be better for personal use, because it “only” has 4 channels.

Probably the most important component of a headphone amplifier are the op-amps (operational amplifier), and what we found inside the AMP800 were generic 4558s. The 4558 op-amp is the cheapest and most widely used op-amps because it is very economical (has many replacements) and has a wide enough bandwidth.

The AMP800 was built adequately for its price. The casing does not look like “expensive plastic,” the knobs and switches do the job they were intended to, but the inputs looked solid. The paint looks like the kind that chips easy, but we were careful in handling the amplifier so as of now we have not seen any signs of chipping.

The sound had nothing special to it. If you have nice headphones, you might still find the amplifier quite amusing but it did not really bring anything special to the table. The overall feel of the sound is “bright.” Depending on what you pair it with, this can sometimes lead to harsh-sounding vocals especially from female singers. The bass is a little weak on this amplifier and could not properly deliver the lower frequencies. We would have to give credit to the mids simply because we did not find any (or found the least) wrong with it. But nothing special once again.

We wish we could listen to the Samsons and see if there is a reasonable alternative for something in this segment, but for now the Behringer AMP800 is an amplifier which you can use for applications wherein sound quality can be sacrificed for its flexibility (channels & inputs), i.e. live sound or live monitoring on a budget.

First on Headfile—an earphone review. The Sennheiser MX 400s are cheap replacements earbuds for your iPod or other portable media players. How cheap? Some go as low as $8.99.

Sennheiser is a popular and respectable brand so we figured, why not give one of their uber mass-produced consumer products a listen.

First things first, if you’re used to the stock earphones of your iPod, the MX400s will almost certainly come out on top. If you are used to more expensive headphones, you’re going a step backward. But how big of a step backward is what we want to know.

There is also an MX500 model which is $5 more expensive by the way, but we only got our hands on the MX 400. Besides, we could not fathom what a $5 price difference would do in terms of sound quality. All we know is that the MX 500 has an inline volume control.

Compared to the Apple earbuds

Probably the most noticeable difference compared to the iPod’s stock earphones is the bass. After you’ve changed to the MX400, you’ll instantly notice the new lows that the stock earbuds simply did not reach. Great if you listen to a lot of R&B and Hip Hop tracks, but it also makes band music—bass guitas, kick drums sound fuller. Overall, it gives a good flatter response to what you would’ve probably considered harsh sounding before.

The mids are there and better, but the discerning ear might consider it as something that lacks definition. The higher mids to the highs are somehow overthrown by the low mids to the bass frequencies, and as for the highs, it can reach the full spectrum but again, to a lack of definition.

(We feel funny criticizing a $10 earphone already.)

The cord is only 3-feet long so it either works for you or you like the opposite. The case is neat, as in it fits small bags and poches easily and you eliminate cord clutter. The buds are smaller than the iPod’s so these might save you some earache if you find the iPod’s too big for your ears. The foam ends, we found a little loose.

If you don’t like Sennheisers, you can consider the AKG K12P and K14p.

Overall

These earbuds fullfill its purpose of being an “upgrade” to otherwise mediocre stock earphones of media players. Add the $10 price tag, and these become a steal.